Top 5 iMessage Alternatives for Android

The iMessage app on the iPhone is a great messaging app and there are number of reasons why people love it. The app lets you send instant message to anyone with an iOS or macOS device and it also works as an SMS app. Plus, iOS 10 brings some really cool changes to iMessage like the built-in app store. So, we aren’t surprised if you are looking for “iMessage for Android”. In fact, Android fans have been waiting for it to arrive on the Google platform for a long long time. However, that does not seem to happening anytime soon. Thankfully, there are a number of cool messaging apps that can really work as an iMessage alternative.

So, if you are moving to Android from an iOS device or if you are just looking for an Android app that’s similar to iMessage. We have you covered and these are some iMessage alternatives for Android you can use:

1. Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is a pretty well known messaging app but it does share a lot of similarities with iMessage. Along with the usual messaging features and features like voice & video calls, voice messages, ability to send payments (only in US) etc., Facebook Messenger includes its very own app store and supports various sticker packs. There are a number of cool Messenger apps like GIF keyboard, Bitmoji, QuizChat, Memes etc. Plus, you can use the Facebook Messenger app on Android as an SMS app and you can always access the Messenger from a browser on a PC or Mac. So yeah, it’s a lot like iMessage.

Then there are the cool Facebook Messenger bots, which are basically accounts of businesses and pages, powered by AI algorithms to respond to your queries naturally and execute specific tasks. While Messenger Bots are still in a budding stage, they highlight the app’s great potential for the future.

2. Telegram Messenger

Telegram Messenger is a great messaging app, which hasn’t gotten the due it deserves due to WhatsApp being such a popular solution. However, the app is a great iMessage alternative. It’s available for almost all the major platforms out there along with a cool web client, so no matter which device you use, you will able to use Telegram. Plus, the messages on Telegram are synced over the cloud, so you can access your messages from several devices at once. While it lacks any “app store”, Telegram Messenger includes a sticker store and features a cool Bots platform. There are a ton of bots that you can play with and it also includes a cool Gaming platform, so you can even play games inside the app.

Other than that, Telegram Messenger is a really powerful messaging app. It lets you share files of up to 1.5 GB, create groups with up to 5,000 members and public channels. It also includes a cool Secret Chat feature, which lets you send self destructing messages in an end to end encrypted environment.

3. Google Allo

While Google Hangouts was a decent iMessage alternative, Google Allo is the new messaging app on the block and it’s already a pretty interesting offering. While it’s isn’t available for PCs or Mac, what makes it a decent iMessage alternative is the Google Assistant integration. Google Assistant makes sure that you can do a ton of tasks right inside Allo. For instance, you can get news, get answers for your queries, watch YouTube videos, weather info, points of interest, flight info and more, right inside a chat on Allo. Plus, you can even play games and have a fun conversation with the Assistant, so who needs an App Store, right? Plus, it supports stickers, smart replies and includes the shout or whisper message feature from iMessage.

4. Pushbullet

You must be wondering how does Pushbullet fit into a list of messaging apps that are similar to iMessage. Well, while Pushbullet has been known for its file sharing, notification mirroring capabilities, people also use it to send messages from their PC or Mac. Also, what makes Pushbullet unique is the fact that it not only lets you send text messages, it also supports different messaging apps like WhatsApp. So, no matter which messaging app you use, Pushbullet will let you send texts from your PC or Mac. Also, it’s available on Windows, macOS, Chrome, Firefox and Safari, so you have a lot of options.

The free version of Pushbullet only lets you send 100 messages/month, so you will have to get the Pro subscription to send unlimited messages.

5. WhatsApp Messenger

WhatsApp Messenger is the most widely used messaging app today and while it’s not very similar to iMessage, it’s still an alternative, thanks to its popularity and its recently introduced desktop clients for Windows and macOS. The Facebook owned app also offers a web version, however, the desktop clients only mirror chats from your phone and aren’t a full fledged solution. Along with all the usual messaging features, sharing capabilities, the app offers free calls, with the video calls feature coming soon. What majorly works for WhatsApp is the fact that almost everyone uses it, so chances are, your contacts are using it too.

Bonus:

If you are looking for iMessage alternatives on Android because you want an app that syncs your SMS to a PC or a Mac or you want to send texts from your computer, you can also check out apps like MightyText, mySMS, which bring the aforementioned functionality.

Want iMessage for Android? Check out some alternatives!

While the aforementioned iMessage alternatives for Android do lack some features that the Apple offering packs, they are still some great messaging apps. If you ask me, Facebook Messenger and Telegram Messenger are the best iMessage alternatives for Android but you can also check out the other apps on the list. So, try them out and do let us know what you think of these apps as iMessage alternatives. Sound off in the comments section below.

Rupesh is an avid mobile geek and a movie lover. He loves to keep a tab on new gadgets and loves watching movies. Now a high time tech blogger here, along with a daytime engineering student. You might soon find him blogging about movies too!